


Judgment

by KikiYushima



Series: Judgment Universe [2]
Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Familial Relationships, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Platonic Relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-19
Updated: 2017-11-02
Packaged: 2018-12-31 10:45:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12130767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KikiYushima/pseuds/KikiYushima
Summary: Justice meets judgment





	1. Chapter 1

Goro’s eyes quickly scanned the room before he bowed, giving one of his practiced smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Nijima-san. I hope we’ll work well together.” He squeezed his hands together tightly, thankful that the gloves his his white knuckles. His throat stuck under the tall woman’s piercing gaze, but she gave a faint nod.

“Likewise, Akechi-san.” Her cold tone chilled him to the core and he tried to swallow the knot in his throat. Shido had informed him he would be working with Nijima Sae but, given how Goro knew nothing about the world of law, the name had meant nothing to him. He wished he’d done his research first. It wasn’t difficult to tell the woman was likely a  _ very  _ infamous prosecutor from her presence alone despite how young she was.

He ignored the cold gaze and walked over to his desk, pressed to the wall as he walked. He hated having his back to the only exist since it meant somebody could easily walk up behind him and he couldn’t flee quickly. At least it was near a wall…

He groaned when he saw the already  _ massive  _ pile of paperwork and sighed. He still felt Sae’s eyes on him and he pulled his phone out of his pocket, trying to ignore her as he opened the kanji program. Might as well get started…

He pulled a piece off the stack and began typing the kanji into the app as discreetly as he could. No matter what he did, he couldn’t get more than a handful of basic kanji to stick. Hiragana and katakana were fine, but a child in fourth grade could likely read and write better than he could.

Of course, it didn’t take him long to start moving the concealed strip of metal in his left glove with his right hand. He could still feel Sae’s eyes on him and then paired with the fact he couldn’t see the door, and the obscure kanji, he couldn’t help but fidget. He  _ hated  _ sitting still for long periods, but he has little choice. His felt his breathing shallower than normal and a bead of sweat roll down his temple, but he kept the focus on the task at hand the best he could. 

Eventually, a hand on his shoulder made him jump out of his seat and he pressed against the wall. Sweat clung to the sides of his face and he clasped his hands together, shaking as his eyes finally met Sae’s. She held a water bottle out to him, a surprisingly gentle smile on her face. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out other than his rapid gasps.

“Here. Why don’t you get some water in you? It’s better than caffeine.” He gave a tiny nod as he followed her gaze to the coffee on his desk. He’d read the stuff only made anxiety far worse, but it had been the only thing that had gotten him through working three jobs on top of an honors student.

With a trembling hand, he took snapped it away from her, though he kept her in his peripheral vision. He inspected the seal, cracking it open after a moment and drinking some of it slowly. Sae simply sat at his desk and he blinked when he saw her start working on  _ his  _ paperwork despite the amount  _ she  _ had to deal with.

“N-Niji—” His voice barely reached a whisper, though it died when she looked over at him. The soft smile never left her face though.

She held up her right hand, revealing a ring on it, and his eyebrows shot up when the smaller band on the outside spun around. She was kinesthetic like he was? There was no way she could have planned or even  _ known  _ something so  _ oddly specific  _ since he was such an obscure person. He felt he had little reason but to believe her even if he didn’t trust her.

She got up and pulled her chair over near his, patting it. He hesitated for a long moment, glancing at the door before sitting in her chair. “Now, why don’t you point out what you were having trouble with and I’ll explain it to you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anybody that's wondering what's going through Sae's head....
> 
> Read onto the next chapter from her view.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Excuse me if this part feels a little tedious, but I wrote this honestly to just see how Sae changed from being a hardass to being so soft with him.

“What the hell are you playing at?!” Sae stared at her boss incredulously, one hand balling into a fist.

“There’s not much I can do about it, Nijima-kun. Orders came from the top. He should be arriving within the next thirty minutes.”

“…Very well.” Sae bowed and dismissed herself from his office, stalking back to her desk.

She couldn’t believe this. They were assigning some punk kid to be her new partner while prosecuting the mental shutdowns and rampage incidents. Akechi Goro, a fifteen-year-old honors student that attended Kosei. Since he was so young, he was probably some pompous prodigy from an elite family that did little but spoil him. The kid obviously had connections in high places if he was getting placed with her of all people. She wasn’t looking forward to babysitting some soft, pampered brat until he no doubt quit after a few weeks, if not days due to the harsh realities he’d have to face.

She buried herself in her paperwork, spinning the spinner ring so hard she was surprised it didn’t break. The kid was just going to get in her way of putting lawbreakers behind bars. Just… Why?

She heard a soft click exactly thirty minutes later and let out an internal sigh. As she looked up, though, she caught the quick glance he casted around the room, the way he leaned toward the doorway somewhat…

He gave her one of the fakest smiles she’d ever seen.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Nijima-san. I hope we’ll work well together.”

She gave one of her usual hard stares and a faint nod. “Likewise, Akechi-san.”

The tight grip of his hands nor the obviously forced tone didn’t escape her notice. Neither did the fact he pressed against the wall as he walked, almost as if trying to disappear from view.

He sat in a way that tried to obscure her from viewing his lap, but the subtle movement gave away the fact he was taking his phone out from his pocket. What was he doing? They were supposed to be working, not messing around on the internet. This kid was just as bad as most others today, wasn’t he?

Sae just sighed and got back to her own work. If he fell behind because of how easily distracted he was, it was on him, though it would still impact her ability to do her job. They were punishing her for simply being a woman, weren’t they?

But a light sound eventually caught her attention and she looked up. Akechi’s face rivaled fresh snowfall and sweat beaded on his forehead. She watched him for several minutes. He looked at the paperwork, typed into his phone, then fidgeted with the seam of his glove for a few seconds before writing a response. She also caught a piece of scrap paper tucked against his left arm he’d pulled out and write on almost purely in hiragana…

…She had this kid entirely wrong, didn’t she?

The tension in his body, the fidgeting, the clear anxiety, escape-seeking mannerisms, clear difficulty with kanji, trying to disappear when under a hard gaze…

He was extremely kinesthetic _and_ she’d reminded him of a previous abuser, hadn’t she? She’d seen similar behaviors in witnesses on cases past. Usually they were much more subtle than with Akechi, but he broadcasted then loud and clear despite trying to hide them.

She’d have to be gentler with him than she had been already if she wanted to get anywhere. Plus, he was clearly still in said situation or had just gotten out of it.

She’d just made everything a thousand times worse by acting the way she did, hadn’t she? Plus, the caffeine from the black coffee sitting next to him wasn’t helping matters. She’d given the stuff up herself since it had only decreased her already short temper and driven her anxiety over cases through the roof. All nighters were hell without it, but it’d greatly improved her relationship with Makoto.

She slipped out of the office and retrieved a bottle of water from the fridge, making sure the seal remained intact. There was no telling how he’d react to open water offered to him by someone that reminded him of a past abuser. She’d already started their relationship in the negative, so she’d have to work hard to get it into the positive from now on.

She returned to the office and placed her hand on his shoulder as gently as she could. She flinched a bit when he nearly went through the roof, retreating to the wall and staring at her like a cornered animal. She made a mental note to get his attention visually or audibly before attempting to repeat that.

Regardless, she held the water bottle out to him and offered him a gentle smile. He shook and she could hear his gasps, no doubt on the edge of a panic attack. “Here. Why don’t you get some water in you? It’s better for you than caffeine.” She gazed at the coffee on his desk.

His hand trembled as he reached out then quickly snapped the bottle away from her. She backed up and sat at his desk to give him a bit of space, then wasted no time in starting on his paperwork. At his slow rate, it’d take him three days to do what would normally take only one. Yes, she had a mountain to handle herself, but she couldn’t leave him to languish.

“N-Niji—” Sae blinked and looked over at him when he whispered, offering him another soft smile. He looked like a lost baby bird and her heart dropped into her stomach. He didn’t seem to understand why she was helping him.

She held her hand up and spun her spinner ring, illustrating the point silently. His eyebrows shot up but she just continued smiling. Kanji still proved extremely difficult for her at times, though she’d found methods to cope and teach herself without having to rely on outside aids like apps (for the most part).

Sae then dragged her chair over to his, patting it. He hesitated for a long moment, then glanced at the door, no doubt looking for an escape. But he sat down after another moment of consideration. “Now, why don’t you point out what you were having trouble with and I’ll explain it to you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To anybody wondering how she’s picking him apart so effectively:
> 
> “ESTPs have an uncanny ability to perceive people's attitudes and motivations. They pick up on little cues which go completely unnoticed by most other types, such as facial expressions and stance. They're typically a couple of steps ahead of the person they're interacting with.”
> 
> She also borders on ESFJ and ESFP which are both types that are based around reading, helping, and supporting other people.
> 
> “ESFJs are people persons - they love people. They are warmly interested in others. They use their Sensing and Judging characteristics to gather specific, detailed information about others, and turn this information into supportive judgments.”
> 
> “[ESFPs] usually quite generous and warm. They are very observant about other people, and seem to sense what is wrong with someone before others might, responding warmly with a solution to a practical need.”
> 
> Her Empathy Quotient is also 64/80 which means she is really fucking good at empathising with people. The average, frt, is somewhere around 53/54.
> 
> All relevant information was pulled from personalitypage.com


	3. Chapter 3

The usual silence hung over the Nijima sisters as they ate, only the sound of pens and chopsticks breaking the air. Sae tried to focus on the casework in front of her, but she sighed and closed the folder, making Makoto look up. “What’s wrong, sis?”

“It’s…” Sae ran a hand through her hair. Normally she could hide her emotions a lot better, but this time, she couldn’t. She had to be the pillar of strength for them since Makoto relied on her so heavily for everything but…

“Sis?” Sae looked up at her sister who was unable to hide her worry. She sighed and looked away again. She really was transparent at the moment.

“It’s my new partner. I haven’t seen him eat lunch since he started.” Akechi always ate an apple, but she didn’t really count that. He’d worked through lunch break each day over the past week without stop. With the amount of paperwork and his struggle with kanji, she could hardly blame him. She did what she could to help, but she was extremely busy herself, so there was only so much she could do. And, of course, that didn’t even touch how unhappy he was sitting for long hours… She was similar herself in that but even so…

She looked back at Makoto who fell silent and nodded. “Well, I could pack a lunch for him if you want me to. What sorts of food does he like?”

“Unfortunately, I don’t know. I’ve not seen him eat and he’s…quiet.” Ever since that first day, it hadn’t been hard for her to tell he was unused to any sort of attention. She greeted him in the morning as quietly as she could and just fell silent unless she could tell he needed serious help.

Makoto nodded as she thought and the pair returned to their usual routine. After finishing, Sae headed back to her messy office, but it lasted only a short time. She just couldn’t sit still, so she headed to the gym.

♦

Sae knocked on the office door when she saw Akechi there before her for once. Even for as soft as the knock was, the nervous boy still nearly jumped out of his skin. He started at her with wide eyes, shaking, face pale. She frowned a bit and sat the bento on his desk, pulling her chair over.

She paused for a moment, thinking back to that first day. He’d been completely unable to speak when this spooked. He was extremely kinesthetic and obviously uncomfortable speaking. This was definitely going out on a limb but…

She raised her hands slowly and started signing.  _ Akechi-san, what’s the matter _ ? She might be hellbent on prosecuting wrongdoers but that didn’t mean she was incapable of empathy.

Akechi stared at her with owlish eyes and she started cursing herself mentally for attempting this, but he raised his hands.  _ Just…a difficult night _ . Sae nodded a little. Given his behaviors, he seemed to have a pretty bad case of post traumatic stress disorder. 

_ I’m so sorry. If you ever need a friendly ear, I’m here _ . He looked away, so she changed gears.

_ I notice you don’t eat lunch, so I brought you one. I don’t know what sort of food you like, so Makoto took a shot in the dark _ . Akechi looked back at her, then the bento, a small frown etched on his face. It was almost like he’d never…

Who would treat him so badly?

_ Are you sure it’s not a bother _ ? Her heart sunk from the crestfallen look on his face. He resembled a puppy someone had kicked then tried to drown. 

She hesitated for a moment, then held her hand out. She didn’t want want to do anything that would make him feel more unsafe than he already did. He just looked a scared, confused puppy and she felt a bowling ball drop into her stomach.

_...I know this is probably a lot to ask of you right now, but would you trust me to do one small thing for a moment _ ? A heavy tension fell over them for several seconds and he looked ready to shrink away, but he gave a tiny nod. The swallow didn’t escape her notice, but she ignored it.

Slowly, she raised her hand and placed it on his head. He blinked and looked at her as she gently rubbed his head, giving him a soft smile. It took only a split second for him to lean into the gesture, a tiny smile on his face. It was the first genuine one she’d seen him give. 

She simply continued that for several minutes until she looked at her watch and he deflated after she stopped.  _ Sorry, but we really need to get to work. _ Akechi gave a small nod and retreated to his paperwork, a small cloud hanging over him.

It didn’t take long for him to pass out on his desk.

Sae simply brought some of his work over to her desk.

Hers could wait for a little while longer.

♦

“Akechi-san.” Sae gave his shoulder a gentle shake and he jumped out of his seat, retreating to the nearby wall, looking like a cornered rabbit. She just smiled and held the bento out for him. After a moment, he took it and returned to his seat. 

She’d already pulled her chair over and was opening hers. “I can tell you’re more comfortable with JSL, but it’s kind of hard to sign when eating. Are you okay with verbalising or would you rather me leave you alone?”

“Talking’s fine.” His voice shook and he was hard to hear, but it didn’t die like the other day. His hands trembled and she opened the bento for him. The chopsticks tumbled from his shaking hand, so she held her hand out again. After a small nod, she rubbed his head a little and it steadied him enough to eat.

He blinked at the first bite and she glanced at him. “It’s really good..” He was acting like he’d never…

“...Is this your first homemade meal?” The question made him freeze, but he gave a small nod.

“...Foster kid that came from an abusive home…” That…explained so much. He’d likely survived on little food and, even when he  _ could  _ get it, it was either instant or crappy sandwiches…

“Well, you’ll get a nice, homemade lunch everyday as long as you work with me.” She gave him another soft smile and he managed one himself, tiny though it was. The look on his face was one of a child just offered a cookie fresh out of the oven. He was so sweet and gentle. She really didn’t understand how anybody could be so cruel to him…

She’d do whatever she could to help and protect him. 


	4. Chapter 4

Sae sat the bento on Goro’s desk and smiled at him. _Good morning, Akechi-kun; sorry I’m late_. She had managed to oversleep that morning or once. Then again, she supposed that’s what she got for staying up late to watch that movie with Makoto and the thought only made her smile warm further.

Her smile vanished, though, when he didn’t respond. He tended to be a creature of habit, so she’d learned to expect even a small nod out of him. She’d gotten to know him decently well over the past several months, so it was strange for him to not acknowledge her. He was extremely absorbed in his work as always, but moreso than normal. What was going on?

She moved her hands a bit closer to him, though not so close to startle or make him feel threatened.

_Akechi-kun?_

She finally saw his eyes turn toward him. He kept his face down, though, but she just gave him a soft smile. _Good morning_. She was thankful she’d picked up JSL for the rare witness that couldn’t speak since it helped put him more at ease.

He hesitated for a long moment before he reluctantly turned to face her to respond. Her eyebrows shot up when she saw the makeup. _Good morning, Nijima-san_. His hands shook and his movements were so small she could barely understand him. What had happened? Who had done this to him? He lived on his own, so who…? How…?

She held her hand out to him and he nodded. As usual, he closed his eyes and leaned into the affectionate gesture. She’d seen plenty of people starved for physical affection, but this reached new heights. Even something as simple as a pat on the head seemed to mean the world to him.

She went over to her purse and retrieved her make up case, pulling her chair along with her. _If you’d like a few pointers on how to blend more naturally, I can help you. Plus, the colors don’t match your complexion very well_. Akechi gave a small nod and Sae set to work, her touch just firm enough so that she could work. His eyes were owlishly wide, but he trusted her enough by this point to know she wouldn’t hurt him. To help take his mind off it, she started explaining how to properly apply makeup and make it blend.

It took every bit of self-control to remain calm when she removed it and saw the extent of the bruising. Whoever had done this had done it intentionally and maliciously. A nasty black ring covered his eye, the imprint of a hand on his cheek down to the fingertips that trailed all the way down to his chin… Anger welled inside her but she remained calm and warm with him. Yelling would only make things worse for the poor boy which was the _last_ thing he needed. But just who could hurt such a sweet child? She just…didn’t understand.

“All done.” She took out her compact and he looked at his reflection, a bit awestruck, and she couldn’t help but smile a little at the childlike expression on his face. Even if it was awful _why_ he had that look, seeing him genuinely happy always warmed her heart a little. “If you’d like, I could take you shopping after we get done today.” She had a feeling there wasn’t much she could do about his situation but she’d help where she could.

Akechi gave a small nod and he closed the compact, handing it back to her. The childlike smile changed to a small, grateful one. She held her hand out again and he nodded, his expression growing somewhat content as she patted his head. She might not be able to do much about his situation, but she could at least make his life a little easier and brighter where she could.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the next couple of chapters will be…interesting. They’ll be one flowing narrative based around one incident, but they’re going to be extremely slow paced without too much conflict since it’s literally just Goro and Sae hanging out. I thought this was going to just be one longer oneshot, but after realising how Sae is, I decided to break it into several chapters. It may end up feeling tedious due to this slow pacing, but it’s basically like a slice-of-life thing. There’s not meant to be conflict or deep, plot-related things; it’s simply these two characters interacting in a very soft, relaxed way. 
> 
> Also I know nothing about the details of Featherman other than what I could glean off the Megami Tensei wiki, so if I screwed up on that, that’s why. I’m just a super casual Persona fan, not someone that’s very hardcore despite how much I love to psychoanalyse characters.
> 
> And yes I know I used English titles instead of the Japanese ones but hope that doesn’t break anybody’s suspension of disbelief.

It honestly hadn’t taken Sae long to notice the pattern.

Akechi would come into the office, jittery and far more easily startled than normal, then sleep the majority of the day away on his desk. Even all of the caffeine in the world couldn’t keep him awake on those days. A few days after that, they’d be assigned a case related to one of the rampage or mental shutdown incidents. He was connected with them somehow, but she couldn’t piece everything together.

Regardless, she took as much of his paperwork on those days as she could without impacting her own performance.

One day, though, he came in with makeup caked on heavily, sloppily, and he nearly jumped out of his skin when she merely looked up. She offered him a gentle smile and sat her work to the side. He collapsed at his desk, chest heaving, eyes half lidded. Whatever had happened had raddled him far more than normal, and her heart sank in her chest.

He wasn’t in any shape to be there. He rarely ever was on mornings like this but… This was different. By this point, he’d learned to blend the makeup almost seamlessly so… What had happened?

Sae lightly tapped on the desk with her fingernail, barely audible, but Akechi still jumped out of his chair, pressing against the wall. His eyes swung around the room, unfocused, and she knew using JSL at this point would be impossible for him, so she texted him. The message was entirely in hiragana since he wouldn’t be able to handle even basic kanji.

**Akechi-kun, would you like to come over to my house for the day?**

She’d almost never taken a day off since she’d started, and she hadn’t seen him either while he was there, so she hoped the chief would understand.

Akechi just looked up from his phone, drawn back to the present for the time being. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, eyebrows bunched together. It wasn’t difficult to understand the unspoken question.

**Have I done anything to hurt you?**

It broke her heart, but given what little she knew of his history, she could hardly blame him. She was probably the first adult to show him even the slightest bit of care. Hopefully, the six months of kindness would suade him.

He lowered his phone and returned it to his pocket. She moved her hands near her desk, trying to show she intended to sign before doing so. _I’ll be back in a bit. I need to talk to the chief about it._ He nodded and she stood up, moving along the wall opposite him before exiting the room.

 ♦

 Sae let out a sigh after the long, tense ar ride ended, glad for the threat of snow that day. She wasn’t sure how Akechi would have taken to riding her motorcycle with her current state. It hadn’t helped with her swinging by his apartment to let him grab a few things for him to have so he’d hopefully feel more comfortable here.

She sat him down on the couch and offered him the remote. “I have a few errands I need to run for about an hour, so you’re free to  watch whatever. If you find a movie you like that costs to watch, just go ahead and watch it.” She earned enough that a movie or two wouldn’t break the bank even if the two days off would screw with the budgeting more than a bit.

She got back into her care and headed for the store. She normally wasn’t one to trust her intuition, but with him, it was usually right on the money. 

♦

 The bizarre murder of crows blanketing the lawn and drive was the last thing she expected to see upon her return. Regardless, she waded through the never-ending birds, unlocking the door. A small smile came to her lips when she heard the sound of Featherman playing. She placed the bags save one near the door and settled on the couch next to Akechi. He was so engrossed in the show that he barely registered her presence, though.

He really was just a little kid, wasn’t he?

“Oh, this is last week’s episode. I can’t believe that Malignus managed to turn White Swallow against everyone.”

“Right? Well, we both know his bond with Pink Argus will win out in the end.” Akechi stared at the screen until the episode ended ten minutes later. Even with the makeup, she saw his cheeks tint pink and he looked away. She raised her hand a little and glanced over before she patted his head, offering him a gentle smile.

“It’s fine, Akechi-kun. Honestly, it’s one of my favorite shows and has been since I was a kid.” When she’d been younger, she’d simply loved watching good triumph over evil. As an adult, she could appreciate the more nuanced (if extremely campy) writing, character interactions and relationships and…it was still nice to see such a black-and-white world when she dealt in moral grey areas all hours of the day. Of course, she took a black-and-white approach herself but…

Akechi gave a small nod and turned the TV off, still obviously embarrassed by the revelation. She ruffled his hair again and opened her jacket pocket, pulling out a _very_ loved 3DS. His eyes widened a bit as she flipped open the small console, revealing the Pokémon X save file she’d been playing before heading to work.

“I won’t judge you for liking so-called childish things when I still play an RPG series mostly intended for the five- to twelve age-old-age range.” She was more into the competitive, strategic side of the series rather than the story and world, but she still enjoyed the casual side of things too. Of course, her preference meant having to participate in American leagues but she didn’t mind.

He nodded again and she picked up the bag sitting at her feet. It was a brightly colored gift bag, obviously purchased at the same time as its contents, but she really didn’t care. Akechi just gave her a wary look before she placed it on his lap. “Before you say anything: I wanted to. It’s not a bother. You don’t have to pay me back. It’s a gift and I want you to enjoy it.” She could already hear the protests, so she nipped them in the bud before he could voice them.

Akechi seemed to deflate a bit, giving a resigned sigh as he pulled out the contents. It was a 3DSXL with Animal Crossing New Leaf, Pokémon Y, Fire Emblem Awakening, and a few puzzle and rhythm games along with an eShop gift card so he could buy a couple games he wanted. She wasn’t sure which genre he’d take to best, but these seemed like safe best with what she’d gathered. Plus, she’d heard people say Animal crossing helped with anxiety because of the relaxed nature and hoped it would do the same for him. Awakening was the biggest gamble since it was a very text-heavy RPG, but he could at least enjoy the strategic gameplay.

He looked up at her with wide eyes and she smiled, ruffling his hair again. “You’re welcome.” It’d cost a pretty penny, but if it made his life a little brighter, it was worth it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one took a while to get up; I just honestly haven’t felt like typing it. I'm really old school since I write everything longhand then type it up which is more than a little tedious, but nothing feels better than pencil and paper to me.
> 
> Plus my depression’s been kicking my ass something fierce.  
>   
> Also time jumps because writing about playing video games, soccer, and basketball would be tedious for me.

Sae helped Akechi set the system up and he looked to her, eyes wide with how overwhelmed he was from the game selection. Her heart sank in her chest as she realised he didn’t understand the first thing about games. She’d figured he’d been deprived of a childhood but to this extent…

She picked up Y and offered it for him to open. “I’ll explain the others later, but I think this might be the best for you to start with.” Animal Crossing would be relaxing, but the general aimlessness might overwhelm him. Pokémon still had a lot of choice, but the linearity would likely serve him better until he got acclimated to games in general.

“O-Okay…” Akechi swallowed and popped the cartridge in. As Professor Sycamore spoke, his eyes widened in wonder and she couldn’t help but smile. His childlike innocence was absolutely endearing, even if the reason was absolutely heartbreaking. He leaned against her as he played and she pulled her own system out to work on her next competitive team.

Over the next several hours, they played in a comfortable silence, broken only by the occasional question from him. He seemed to want to figure things out on his own for the most part and she respected that, but a few things just went over his head. She didn’t mind helping since, while simple, the sheer amount of information Pokémon threw at the player could be quite a bit. For somebody as sensitive as Akechi, it would easily be overwhelming.

After a bit, though, he started shifting and flipped the system shut, looking at her. She glanced at the clock and saw it read noon. _Can you wait for about twenty minutes for me to cook something_? In her worry that morning, they’d forgotten the bento at the office. Thankfully, Sae was a more than competent cook; it just usually fell to Makoto in the morning because she had so much to take care of in the morning.

Akechi gave a small nod and Sae slipped into the kitchen, opting for a few simple comfort foods. They were more low effort than her usual, but she figured they’d be welcome. With how upset he’d been earlier, she wanted him to be as comfortable as possible.

Thankfully, her thought paid off and a soft, gentle, relaxed smile spread across his face while they ate. “This really is good, Nijima-san. Thank you.”

“It’s really no trouble Akechi-kun; I’m glad you like it. Since we’ve been inside so long, how about we go outside after this?” His entire face lit up and he nodded enthusiastically. He was so precious. How could anybody hate him enough to hurt him?

After sticking the dishes near the sink to wash later, she started heading outside and blinked before laughing. “We should change.” How ridiculous would it look if they were going to play in the yard in a business suit and his clothes? Akechi’s cheeks reddened a little and he nodded, hustling to the bathroom and meeting her outside after he’d finished. She’d changed into loose jogging pants and long-sleeved shirt in the chill December air. Thankfully, the day was fairly mild, so they could stay outside for longer than they would have otherwise.

Akechi shifted a bit and Sae smiled at him as she started removing the balls from their packaging. “Do you know how to play soccer and basketball?” He tucked some loose hair behind his ear and nodded, giving a hesitant smile. Sae held the soccer ball up and tossed it to him. His expression brightened even more as he expertly juggled it around his body. She used to be able to do that, but after starting university, then having raising Makoto being forced on her, she was very much out of practice. Akechi didn’t seem to be in the same boat, though.

The next hour and a half proved to be extremely fun and light, even moreso than before. The way Akechi smiled as they played friendly games of keepaway or simply dribbled the balls back and forth… It was a levity she hadn’t seen in him before. It seemed as if whatever had happened completely slipped his mind, and she was glad.

“We should probably head inside.” The temperature was starting to drop and the wind ruffled her hair, threatening to bring the snow that had been forecasted. Akechi nodded and bumped the soccer ball into his hands before heading into the house.

Sae made a beeline for the kitchen with a smile, pouring some milk into a pan. A wave of nostalgia washed over her as she started on her mother’s hot chocolate recipe, reminded of the days both her parents had died. It’d been far too long since she’d made this for Makoto, so she definitely would after she got home. There were still a few hours until she did, so she’d just leave the ingredients and cooking utensils out.

After finishing, she slid into the couch next to Akechi who had promptly wrapped himself in a thick blanket, resuming his Pokémon file. He brightened once again when he saw the mugs and sat the 3DS to the side. She handed him one, then popped a Featherman DVD in and settled in next to Akechi, a faint smile on her face.

♦

“Sis, what are you doing home?” Makoto’s voice made Sae tense a bit and Akechi’s hold on her shirt tightened. At some point, the boy had fallen asleep against her, but she’d been so wrapped up in Featherman she’d failed to notice both that and the time.

Makoto eyed Akechi and put a finger to her lips. “I don’t want to wake him, so I’ll keep it brief. I know this looks really bad, but this is my detective partner. He’s in a horribly abusive situation, so I brought him here to decompress for a day or two.” Sae did her best to keep her work and home lives separate, but there was only so much she could do sometimes. With how terrified Akechi had been, she just hadn’t been able to leave him suffer that morning.

Her sister gave a small nod and eyed her but said nothing else. “I’ll go get started on my—”

“Makoto.” Sae could see the hurt in her sister’s eyes and Makoto looked away. She shifted slowly and gently so as not to jar Akechi awake. Thankfully, he seemed to be sleeping like the dead so it wasn’t a worry.

She took Makoto’s hand and tugged her into the kitchen, starting to make the hot chocolate again. “I’m sorry for making this when you weren’t here, but I figured it was something Akechi-kun would appreciate. He came in more spooked than normal this morning. Whatever happened made him unable to use even JSL.” She caught Makoto’s brows drawing together and she let out a small sigh. She really hadn’t wanted to divulge such personal information about Akechi, but she really had no choice here.

“Like I said, he’s in an abusive situation. From what I’ve observed over the past six months, I can tell there isn’t anything I can do to get him out of it.” As loathe as she was to admit it. “For whatever reason, he’s more comfortable with JSL than speaking. Whoever’s his abuser is beat him so badly that I had to text him to communicate this morning.”

That was enough explanation for Makoto’s shoulders to drop. Sae really couldn’t blame her little sister for being jealous and hurt. It was supposed to be something special they did together and not for anybody else. Yet Sae had made it for someone else when the last time she’d made it for them had been over a year ago.

“…Well, it’s hard to be mad if that’s the situation. I’m still hurt, but I understand. Plus, you were clearly thinking of making it for me when I got home.”

Sae nodded. “I would have had it done when you got home, but I lost track of time.” Makoto pursed her lips as light pink dusted Sae’s cheeks, but the woman just smiled in return. Whenever she started binging on Featherman, it was pretty typical for her to lose track of time. With work, she tended to fall behind on the show,  so marathoning was nothing unusual.

Sae finished and poured the hot chocolate into two mugs, sitting one down in front of Makoto. “Will you be bringing him home more often?”

“Maybe.” Sae knew Akechi had nowhere else to turn but… She really didn’t want to make Makoto feel she cared about him more. She really did care about Akechi but…her sister had to come first.

“Let’s talk about this later. How was student council?” Makoto brightened at the question and started talking. A warm smile spread across Sae’s face as she rested her cheek in a hand. Even if their relationship was rocky more often than not…these small moments of warm tenderness made everything worth it.


	7. Chapter 7

Goro shifted and stretched, glancing at the clock and blinked when he realised how much time had passed. Last he remembered, it’d been about three-thirty and now it was seven. 

Where was Sae? She ahdn’t turned off Featherman, but he overheard soft laughter in the nearby dining room.

Rising, he peered around the corner and saw a girl about his age with Sae. It wasn’t difficult to tell Sae was trying to teach her to sign, but her motions were so clumsy it set both of them laughing. “Makoto, you’re absolutely abysmal.”

“Well,  _ excuse me _ for not be as kinesthetic as you are!” Despite the emphatic tone, he failed to detect any actual heat behind her words. 

So this was her sister Makoto… He hadn’t expected such a significant age gap. Sae rarely talked about her home life due to the unspoken agreement they had to not get overly personal while at work.

The woman blinked and smiled when she saw Goro, raising a hand in greeting.  _ Did you sleep well, Akechi-kun?  _ Makoto made a face at obviously not understanding and Goro shifted a bit.

“I slept quite well, yes. I’m taking it this is your sister?” It was easy enough to slip back into his usual polite mask. He was just meeting her for the first time and the polite distance made it easier to speak since it was entirely impersonal. 

Makoto’s reaction got a stern look from Sae, though, and the girl gave a sheepish smile. “I know it’s difficult for you to be yourself around others, Akechi-kun, but you have nothing to worry about here. And I know it’s doubly hard for you to do so while speaking, but you don’t have to hide around Makoto. In fact, I think you’ll find you have quite a bit in common.” Sae offered him a gentle smile and Goro returned it hesitantly. She looked up at the clock on the wall and swore, standing up. 

“I’ll get started on dinner.” She headed into the kitchen and Goro shifted again, keeping pressed against the wall.

It took all of a single heartbeat for awkward silence to cloud the air.

Makoto reached into her backpack and pulled out her homework, starting on it. Goro looked back over his shoulder at the living room, tempted to return to watching Featherman. He really hated meeting new people. Plus, he had Y version and other games waiting for him…

But dinner started soon and it would be beyond rude to not be at the table when Sae brought it in.

He settled in a chair against the wall, pulling his knees to his chest as he played with the metal band in his glove. It was all he could do to keep from panicking. He  _ hated  _ being left alone with people he didn’t know. Plus, there was something about Makoto’s movements—even subtle as they were—that betrayed some underlying sense of power and danger… 

He shifted his gaze to her textbook, then away when he saw the kanji. It wasn’t difficult to see the fact it was honors work even with his severely limited knowledge. English was easier in a lot of respects…

A movement from her made him tense and she looked at him, offering an awkward smile. “I’m sorry for ignoring you, but honors work and student council isn’t easy.”

“Neither is honors and being a detective.” His voice shook a bit, worried she’d take it the wrong way. He wasn’t trying to one-up her it was just a simple statement of fact. Thankfully, it seemed she understood that and rested her hands in her lap.

God, this was so awkward.

“So, um. What sorts of things do you like, Akechi-san?”

“Well… Featherman, biking, bouldering, Tarot… That’s…about it…” He’d never really had a chance to develop any interests due to being thrown around the system so much. Featherman and crows had been the only constants in his life. He’d seen it pointless to try to develop interests since he was uprooted so much. By time his life  _ had  _ stabilised, he’d been so busy just trying to make ends meet while keeping up with school, it’d only been more impossible. He’d only picked up bouldering since it would help in the Metaverse… 

Makoto was silent for several moments before she looked at him. “Have you ever seen any Disney movies?” Goro shook his head. He’d heard they were good, but that was about it.

Sae popped her head out of the kitchen a moment later. “No Tangled.” With that, she withdrew and Makoto smiled at Goro as if nothing had happened.

“I think you’ll like them. Come on.” They headed back to the living room and Makoto popped out the Featherman DVD before opening the side of the TV stand. Rows and rows of DVDs and VHSes squished together like sardines, revealing the Nijima sisters apparently  _ really  _ liked movies. The collection of Featherman was almost entirely completely and Goro couldn’t help but smile. Maybe Sae would let him borrow them so he could fully catch up…

“So, Akechi-san, what sorts of stories do you like? They’re generally fantasy but on a bit of a sliding scale, of course. Or maybe you’d be more inclined to sci-fi since—” Makoto started rambling and Goro kind of just tuned her out since all of the genres and plots flew over his head. He didn’t watch much TV outside of Featherman and avoided reading, so his knowledge of genres were cursory at best.

Eventually, though, Makoto seemed to catch onto the fact he wasn’t following and pink dusted her cheeks. “…How about you choose what looks good to you?” She stepped back from the case and he skimmed over it for several minutes. Fantasia, Peter Pan, and Lady and the Tramp caught his eye immediately.

Makoto smiled warmly at him, clapping her hands together. “Those are all  _ great  _ choices. How about Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, then Fantasia? Fantasia’s just a wonderful spectacle that—” More color rose in her cheeks and she stopped herself from rambling again by putting the movie on.

Sae soon entered and served dinner, settling between them. Both teens leaned against her instinctively while they ate.

Goro couldn’t help but smile in wonder as the magical stories unfolded and he signed excitedly into Sae’s palm. How had he never seen them before? They were absolutely spectacular! He could see why Makoto loved them so much. It was similar to why he liked Featherman; the line between good and evil was clear and there was no grey morality. They were simple, wholesome stories for any age to enjoy. He’d definitely have to come over again to watch more…if they would let him, of course. He doubted they would but…

The next thing he knew it was past midnight and both Nijima sisters’ heads lolled. He signed into Sae’s palm and she stirred.  _ I…should probably leave, shouldn’t I? It’s late and I’ve already imposed enough…  _ He looked down and away, but Sae placed a hand on his shoulder, giving a warm—if tired—smile. 

“You’re more than welcome to stay for the night, Akechi-kun. I want you to feel safe here. We have an extra room you can stay in.” Sae shook Makoto who stretched and yawned, then excused herself.

He followed Sae to the extra room and she hesitated for a moment, resting a hand on his shoulder as she looked at him. “Akechi-kun, I know your life is hard, but if you ever get into a situation you need to escape from,  _ please  _ come to me. I’ll do whatever I need to to get you out of it.” Her voice was soft, meant only for him, and wavered with an unexpected amount of worry, fear, and care.

He tensed when she pulled him into a hug, but he ragdolled against her a bit, tears stinging his eyes. 

“…I’ll try.” 

He couldn’t endanger her by pulling her too deeply into this, so it was the best he could offer. He’d still rely on her a lot, there was no doubt about that, but… 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so here are my plans for the rest of this fic. I developed a solid plan to do a retelling of the last part of the game on how this particular universe diverges from canon. From what I can tell, this fic will be maybe 20-30 chapters overall. (A lot of really depends on how much extra stuff I want to write, any new ideas I get, and/or anything that comes up I feel I need to expand on.) 
> 
> However, if you’re really only interested in this scenario, you won’t have to necessarily read everything else to get a good idea of what’s going on. I’m just saying that later chapters will be woven into a bit of a greater, overarcing narrative.


End file.
